The Old Pepper Pot House

Updated 2 November 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 9 October 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection we checked information that we held about the home and the service provider. This included information from other agencies and statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we met four of the five people who lived at the home. People had communication needs. We were able to speak to people to get their views on the service but as people had communication needs we used observation and other people’s views, such as a relative and a health care professional. We spoke with two staff and the registered manager. We also observed a staff handover meeting. We spoke with a relative of a person who lived at the home and to a community learning disability nurse who worked with a person who lived at the home.

We looked at the care plans and associated records for three people. We reviewed other records, including the provider’s internal checks and audits, staff rotas, accidents, incidents and records of medicines administered to people. We looked at staff training records and staff supervision records.

Updated 2 November 2018

This inspection took place on 9 October 2018 and was unannounced.

The Old Pepper Pot House is a ‘care home.’ People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The home is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to six people who may have a learning disability. At the time of the inspection there were five people living at the home who had a range of care needs including a learning disability.

The property is located on the sea front at Littlehampton. The building is a converted older style property with accommodation and facilities for people on four levels. A lower ground floor level has a self-contained apartment with a kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom for one person. Each person has their own bedroom. There are communal living areas such as a living room, dining room, kitchen and a garden.

At our last inspection 21 June 2016 we rated the service as Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

Care staff had a good awareness of the principles of safeguarding people and were committed to ensuring people were safe at all times. Risks to people were comprehensively assessed and care plans included guidance on how to mitigate any risks. Sufficient numbers of well-trained staff were provided so people’s needs were met. Checks were made to ensure newly appointed staff were suitable to work in a care setting. Medicines were safely managed. The premises were safe and well maintained. Incidents were reviewed to see if any changes in service provision was needed. The home was found to be clean and hygienic.

Staff were well trained and had access to a range of training courses. Staff demonstrated they had values of treating people equally irrespective of any disability.

People’s nutritional needs were assessed and monitored. People were involved in devising the menu plan and in preparing meals with staff support. People’s health care needs were monitored and arrangements made for people to receive health care checks and treatment. The provider worked well with other agencies so that physical and mental health care needs were met.

The registered manager and staff had a good awareness of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Where people did not have capacity to consent to care and treatment this was assessed and the provider worked with community learning disability services regarding any restrictions on people’s liberty.

People were supported by compassionate and caring staff. Staff were observed to be skilled in communicating and supporting people who had a complex learning disability. People were consulted and involved in decisions about their care and support. Independence was promoted and people’s privacy respected.

People received care which was responsive to their needs and preferences. Each person’s needs were thoroughly assessed. Person centred care plans and staffing arrangements ensured each person received care and support which was specific to meeting their needs. This included support with emotional and behaviour needs. People were supported to attend a range of activities and outings to nearby facilities.

Arrangements were in place to aid people who communication needs. These included care plans and information being in pictorial format. The provider had a complaints procedure.

The service was well led. The registered manager was motivated to deliver good quality care and to support staff. There was system of comprehensive audits and checks regarding the quality and safety of the service.